Marxism in this Three-Dimensional Animated Film

 

We have seen films that we easily spot Marxism on some of its scenes. We watched many cartoon films before, and seen three-dimensional (3D) animated films. Do you think Disney and DreamWorks cartoons and 3D animated films are just for fun to watch films? Well understand that there are cartoon films and 3D animated films from Disney and DreamWorks that may have scenes and storylines that are clearly associated with Marxism.

Shrek (2001) movie poster (IMDb, 2001).

Shrek (2001), by DreamWorks, is one of my favorite 3D animated movies that I have seen before. I chose this three-dimensional animated film for my analysis because this film is a best example of a film where some scenes are clearly associated with Marxism.

Sellnow (2010) describes Marxist perspectives focus on oppression and empowerment based on ethnicity, gender, and economic practices. I watched the scene where the Lord Farquaad’s army employs human villagers (which I see them as the lower class in the film) captures fairytale characters so they can get paid with coins.

Flying talking donkey scene (Ricknee 4ever, 2023)

This scene above defines Marxism because human characters believe fairytale characters are bad characters. I clarify that their belief towards fairytale characters associate with hegemony.

Lord Farquaad and gingerbread man scene (Ricknee 4ever, 2023)

This scene above where Lord Farquaad torturing gingerbread man. According to Sellnow (2010), hegemony is “privileging of a dominant cultural group’s ideology over that of other groups (p. 117). On the video above, Lord Farquaad says that gingerbread man is a trash to his surroundings. Just because gingerbread man is a fairytale mean a bad creature? Farquaad would say yes, however, I definitely say no. 

Sellnow (2010) defines that preferred reading “reinforces the status quo ideology about empowerment by proposing taken-for-granted assumptions as common sense” (p. 119). I noticed that the human characters in the movie believe that fairytale characters including Shrek, are not the same class and powerful as them. Another example is the video below showing Princess Fiona telling Shrek he is not powerful as the King.

 

Shrek forest scene (Ricknee 4ever, 2023)

Princess Fiona believes Shrek is not powerful as Farquaad? Oppositional reading would explain Shrek is powerful. Oppositional reading focuses on challenging the dominant ideology with regards to beliefs that are taken-for-granted about empowerment (Sellnow, 2010). Oppositional reading helped me learn that certain movie characters are misjudged because the one group of characters assume that the lower-class character means weaker character. However, oppositional reading clarifies that lower-class characters can be a hero on the movie. Shrek is the best example.

Overall, my analysis of Marxism in Shrek (2001) reveals that characters judge other characters based on their class, ethnicity, and gender.

Questions:

1.       If you have watched Shrek (2001) movie, what are the Marxism scenes you noticed that I did not discussed in this blog?

2.       What other cartoons and 3D animated films that you watched that have Marxism scenes similar to Shrek (2001) movie?

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References:

Adamson, A. & Jenson, V. (Directors). (2001). Shrek [Film]. Dreamworks Pictures.

IMDb. (2001, May 18). Shrek. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0126029/

Ricknee 4Ever. (2023, July 24). Shrek (2001) Flying Talking Donkey Scene [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hanVpkY5u0

Ricknee 4Ever. (2023b, October 13). Shrek (2001) Forest Scene [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7IS_3UY-a4

Ricknee 4Ever. (2023a, July 7). Shrek (2001) Meet Lord Farquaad Scene [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1dzeg-2Wa0c

Sellnow, D. (2010). The Rhetorical Power of Popular Culture: Considering Mediated Texts. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.